Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 4, 2010 15:01:07 GMT -8
Auspice really hated taxes. It was natural, really for a worm such as himself, to avoid giving out money to the government. If he didn't get anything out of it, Auspice wasn't interested in spending any of his money. But that wasn't the point- at the moment, Auspice REALLY hated taxes. It had quite a bit to do with the fact that he was sitting cross legged in a rather largish birdcage hanging some feet off the ground in a rather darkish corner of the Drunken Bunny.
Now, had he been anyone else, he might have been dead. Or off the hook. One or the other, he wasn't sure which. The problem was twofold, as follows: his father had done quite a bit of good work and died in service to the king of thieves, and that counted for something; But Auspice had since thumbed his nose at the organization and run off to do whatever the hell he wanted, and that never sat well with men like the king of thieves. So he'd been dragged in by a few of the king's thugs and stuck in a rather largish birdcage and told to wait. As if tax evasion was suddenly a new thing.
He leaned forward and stuck his face against the bars, which happened to be spaced quite nicely to hold either form of himself in, and picked a nice target to annoy. He was rather grumpy looking- a bald man with a complicated tattoo, and didn't look like the sort to allow insults. "Your face- which side of your head is it supposed to be on? The wrinkles really throw me off."
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 4, 2010 16:24:26 GMT -8
Calandra strode into a tavern, fighting back a smile as she noticed the name. The Drunken Bunny. What an interesting title for a bar. She flicked some of her dark-gold hair from her beautiful, heart shaped face as she dropped into a seat at the counter. She kept her gray-gold wings pinned against her back as to not knock anything over with her enormous wingspan and adjusted her short armor-dress so that it would not catch the light and reflect it straight into the bartender's face.
Though her expression stayed smiling, she kept a single hand near the hilt of her rapier at all times. "What would ya like Ma'am?" The bartender asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked her over. "Something heavy. With Gin in it preferably." Calandra replied with an innocent smile that her glinting eyes did not reflect.
Your face- which side of your head is it supposed to be on? The wrinkles really throw me off."
Calandra twisted in her seat to look for the source of the man's voice. What she had not been expecting to see was a thin man sitting cross-legged in a bird cage. He had leaned forward to taunt one of the guards that stood below him, one with a massive tribal pattern tattoo. The man, while obviously itching to wring the prisoner's neck, pretended that he had not heard him speak.
The prisoner had startled a small laugh from her, causing Tattoo-head to glare. Calandra replied by flicking her hair back and staring him down, a sultry smile on her face. She crossed one tan leg over the other as she leaned forward to beckoned the man with one outstretched finger. Tattoo-head blinked, obviously confused as he pointed to his chest as if to say, "are you looking at me?"
The daemon bared her fangs in a feral grin as she shook her head and laughed. The guard, who apparently didn't take rejection well, snarled and moved to take a step forward. That was when he remembered he was on duty and froze in place. He had to make do with glaring instead.
Humans were so easy. Calandra did not usually act this way, but she was in a good mood, having found how skilled she was when it came to gambling. None of those humans had been able to best her poker face. It was also around that time, that Calandra had decided that she liked the City of Thieves. If you had a daemon's beauty you could get away with most anything, and Calandra was striking even by daemon standards.
"So Mr. Bird," Calandra called, sipping happily at the heavy drink she had been brought, "What did you do to get locked up in a ceiling cage in a bar called the Drunken Bunny?"
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 5, 2010 15:30:56 GMT -8
Who was that, playing with Auspice's bald friend? Pretty. She looked Celestial perhaps, but maybe a little 'off' for a Shifter. Changeling? Possible. It didn't really matter, Auspice enjoyed seeing a woman with a good set of wings anytime.
He was startled out of his thoughts when he realized she was actually trying to hold a conversation with him. Not only had she noticed him then, she'd actually shown an interest! He could almost call it a good day, minus the cage and all.
"You're new, then? You'd almost have to be to ask something like that. I don't recommend getting anyone around here angry. That was my first mistake, you know. I got them angry. Now they're bound to be more creative about whatever they're planning. Thus the birdcage." He started to chew on his fingernails as he talked, occasionally checking for hangnails and whatnot. It ruined eye contact, and that was one of the main reasons he did it. He wasn't in danger of making another emotional investment in someone as long as he avoided looking directly at them. "I suppose the first rule is to not get involved with the king of thieves, and the second is to stay loyal to him if you do. He doesn't care for rabble like myself, especially when we don't pay what he thinks is his share of our earnings." At this he spit, only barely missing the poor bald man. "I say I don't owe any taxes to any man who lets his own men get killed just because it's too difficult to try rescuing them. But you don't talk about that, do you, oh noooo. Be sure not to mention that, ma'am." His personal soapbox was earning him glares again, which was lovely. One of the best things about the Drunken Bunny- nobody trusted anybody else in the place, and nobody particularly liked anybody else either.
He sighed, and shuffled around a little so he could work on chewing his toenails. "But primarily I'm in here because I turn into a bird and I suppose they think it's funny to stick me out where everyone else can see me, instead of leaving me in the back while they decide just how they're going to wring a few years' worth of taxes out of me. I think they'll try starving me. A nice slow death, yah?"
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 5, 2010 16:40:21 GMT -8
Calandra laughed. This man was as bizarre as they came, but she had to hand it to him. He was definitely funny in an insulting 'I do what I want' kind of way. Unfortunately daemons in Dreamland did not have this trait. It would probably get you killed.
"I'm not new, just curious." Calandra spoke, resting against the bar at her back. "It helps that I can hold my own in a fight. I'm one of the best where I come from." Hm, maybe she would help the strange shifter out. Tavern brawls were fun.
I suppose the first rule is to not get involved with the king of thieves, and the second is to stay loyal to him if you do. He doesn't care for rabble like myself, especially when we don't pay what he thinks is his share of our earnings. I say I don't owe any taxes to any man who lets his own men get killed just because it's too difficult to try rescuing them. But you don't talk about that, do you, oh noooo. Be sure not to mention that, ma'am."
Calandra nodded. That made sense. The thief king couldn't save everyone, but he demanded taxes anyway. It was a corrupt system in the daemon's eyes, if only for the fact that the King of Thieves didn't actually do anything anymore. He commanded loyalty from so many and had probably only defeated his predecessor in battle. The human race was so strange.
"So I'm guessing you mouthed off and they dragged you here saying you needed to pay taxes, even though you no longer support the king?" Calandra guessed, taking a swig from her drink. "That's ridiculous. But who said the law was ever fair? Thank god for the daemon laws, they're pretty much only guidelines and taxes don't exist."
She shrugged and ordered another drink, having finished her first. After hundreds of years Calandra was pretty much impervious to getting drunk. She just liked the taste. The heavy stuff was the best kind.
"Anyway, call me Cala....Cal." Shit. Giving away her true name in the middle of the City of Thieves would be one of the worst things she could do. If the King of Thieves knew the Daemon Lord's lieutenant was sitting right in front of his guards who knew what would happen.
"What shall I call you Mr. Shifter?" If Calandra was going to help him out she would want to have his name.
Saving him would partly be because she didn't want an entertaining fellow to starve in a tavern called the Drunken Bunny, and partly because she had personal issues with the King.
He was pretty much an ass. Calandra had met him only once and taken an immediate dislike. But being an important figure in the Dreamland, she couldn't just go pissing off the entire City of Thieves. It would probably start a war. But the King didn't know she was here.
Calandra was free to do whatever she wanted to. And she planned to take full advantage of that.
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 5, 2010 18:42:02 GMT -8
So she wasn't a Celestial, she was a Daemon. Lovely. Auspice would have to get a hold of her true name at some point, of course. Having power over a Daemon often did wonders in a place like this. He stocked the information neatly in the back of his mind and continued working at his toes.
"Well, Ms. Cala'cal, if you're a Shifter there isn't much in the way of options. I could live on the Island, but then I'd have to pledge my life to the Alphas, follow their commands, do whatever they want. Fine if you're good at taking orders 'For the Greater Good', but not my style. Conversely, I could run around in the woods naked for the rest of my life, having this or that affair with Shamans passing on by, but there isn't much to be had in that lifestyle either. Tried it once, got in trouble with a Shaman's husband, haven't been back to the lifestyle since. The only other option tends to be this." He gestured with the toes of his free foot around the tavern, though he wasn't sure if Cal could see them from her angle. Really, toes weren't good for pointing and he was in an awkward position to get much out of it.
"It was good enough for my parents, should be good enough for me, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. I'd kill to be out of this little organization. Actually did, once upon a time. They always find out when and where you're going to need them the most, and they drag you back in. And that's how it works. The Alphas would see me put in pigeon pie by morning, the Humans too. What do I do, then? They offer out that damn hand of theirs, and I come hopping back home like a trained canary."
He finished off his toes rather huffily and started picking at scabs. He was really low on entertainment, after all. "All I wanted was a place to lie low, but I suppose the rest of them had other plans. I mean, I thought at least we had an understanding- I'd do a few jobs for them, they'd forget about me for a while... Guess I've backstabbed a few too many times, eh? If they don't kill me, I suppose they might do something else to ruin my independence. There isn't much work for blind men, I hear."
"You can call me Auspice, and you can share that booze if you've got any pity left in you at this point. What is it, anyways? Not that I'd care, really. Curious, is all."
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 5, 2010 19:54:39 GMT -8
Cala'cal? The daemon smirked, though she became serious as Auspice talked. He had a point there. All differences aside, daemons really tended to have it made. Especially when it came to leaders. Gabriel and Calandra were probably as lenient and fair as you could possibly hope for.
"Guess I've back-stabbed a few too many times, eh? If they don't kill me, I suppose they might do something else to ruin my independence. There isn't much work for blind men, I hear."
That sent a thrill of fear down Calandra's spine. Her independence was what she treasured most, she couldn't even begin to imagine a world without it. Strangely enough she couldn't imagine Auspice without his either.
The shifter had spunk. He was obviously a back-stabber, a petty thief, and most likely an unfaithful mercenary as well. Auspice was as despicable as they came but for whatever reason, he didn't seem evil, just crooked.
In all actuality, Auspice was just like Calandra had used to be. While clawing her way through the ranks, she lived as a wandering assassin, often giving the one she was supposed to kill an opportunity to pay her off. She stole most everything she owned and had no qualms about killing. This made her successful as well as highly wanted. Then she became the second most powerful daemon in Dreamland, and nobody tried to carry out their death threats. That had been a nice, calm time.
Maybe it was that reason, maybe it was because she found him entertaining, maybe it was because she just wanted to spite the Thief King, but Calandra decided to help. Besides, she thought, It would be fun!
"You can call me Auspice, and you can share that booze if you've got any pity left in you at this point. What is it, anyways? Not that I'd care, really. Curious, is all."
The daemon laughed and obliged, filling up a small hip-flask before tossing it through the bars of his cage. It looked like it hit him in the head, but from where she was it was hard to tell. At least he got his booze. "Something with plenty of gin in it. Not sure what the name is, but the stronger the better." As if to prove this, she drained her drink and ordered a different kind.
Good thing she had won so much money from gambling earlier.
"So Auspice, let me ask you something. Would it really piss the King off if you were to get free, or would he not give a damn?" Calandra asked, mouth curving slowly into a feral smile. She trained her amber-gold eyes on his while she patiently sipped at the remainder of her drink, wondering just how much the king wanted Auspice captured.
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 6, 2010 17:28:31 GMT -8
Auspice, who hadn't been paying quite enough attention, was nearly hit in the face with the stuff. He dodged, panicked, and ended up catching it with a rather exaggerated motion, left-handed no less. "Don't spill it!" Goodness.
Once he'd made sure it was all properly there, Auspice turned his attention back to Cal. The woman could certainly drink. He vaguely wondered where it all went, since she didn't seem to be drunk in the least. A waste of good booze, if the Daemon couldn't put it to it's proper use. Still- respectable. Walking around with wings and drinking like a fish? He liked this woman already.
"So, are you thinking about breaking me out of here?" Why else would she be asking about repercussions? He leaned in closer to the bars, glanced around the bar, and sighed when the honest truth hit him moments later. "The king isn't going to give more than a passing notice if I escape. He'd expect it, really. I doubt I'd be missed too terribly, there's plenty of other guys out there they could drag in and torture the same as me. He's just got me right now, and I'm rather entertaining. I'm not some political mastermind, and I'm not actively against them. The odds are rather good that they'll get me back eventually."
To make up for his sudden inferiority complex, Auspice took a quick sniff to see what exactly the Daemon was drinking. It nearly knocked him flat. "How're you drinking this stuff so fast? Have you actually got a pulse?" As usual, the strength didn't stop him from taking a sip or two, though it might as well have been poison. "Terrible. Just terrible." He wasn't exactly ready to drink much more than that, so he stuck the cap back and pocketed it.
"Yah. I'm a thorn in his side, but he's got a few nails sticking out of his foot at the moment, so I suspect he'd let me slide if I did manage to escape. I'd watch it though. Escape's going to be rather difficult in a place like this." Enemies abound in the Drunken Bunny. Yes indeed.
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 9, 2010 16:26:46 GMT -8
"So, are you thinking about breaking me out of here?"
Calandra allowed herself a small smile. "Very possibly. It sounds fun." She listened intently to the rest of his small speech and nodded. While he would be no good to help her little grudge, she wasn't lying when she said it would be fun, and thieves were usually somewhat decent fighters.
"So why do they bother catching you again? Doesn't it seem like more work than it's worth?" Calandra shrugged. "I mean. Why waste guards to guard just one man? Did you do something to annoy him, or them?" The daemon woman motioned vaguely at the tattoo-headed guard, who sneered.
"How're you drinking this stuff so fast? Have you actually got a pulse?"
Calandra laughed, high and clear. "If you've lived as long as me you would have built up a resistance to it as well. At any rate, I've always been fond of the heavy stuff." She drained the last gulp from her glass and set it down, enjoying the slight buzz that the alcohol produced. While she didn't get drunk easy, that much booze was bound to produce some result.
Escape's going to be rather difficult in a place like this."
The daemon lounged, a predatory smile curling across her lips. She would see about that. Guards were often far more intimidating than skilled. And these ones didn't have over three-hundred years of experience.
"So Auspice, just how badly do you wish to be out of here?"
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 9, 2010 21:01:25 GMT -8
So freedom was that little worm she was dangling in front of his nose, and if he wanted out he'd have to take the hook along with it.
Auspice considered his options for a moment. How badly did he want out? Badly enough to ask for help, and badly enough to let a Daemon set the whole thing up. Daemons rarely did things for free after all. He didn't know who this woman was, or just what kind of Daemon she might be, but he knew he couldn't fully trust her. It wasn't Auspice's style to trust people anyways, they always ended up stabbing you in the back in the end. Really it came down to one thing: far better is the enemy you can escape from than the one you're stuck in a cage with. He sighed, and nodded, something of a defeated look on his face. "I'll give you whatever it is you want from me. Blood? Energy? Lifedebt? It's still better than what they could come up with."
He could always dig the hook out, once he'd gotten his worm.
Now about the King's priorities. "He really doesn't like it when you betray him. Important or not, I suspect it makes him cringe every time he hears about a betrayal. He really was trying to stay humble about the whole mess. No reason to assume he had anything big riding on his 'wanted' poster. Compared to a lot of the guy's friends, Auspice probably looked like the king's greatest champion. I'm just the kind of guy who they want to make an example of, so they're going to use me. Any time they've got a free man they're going to go after me until I'm dead, wishing I was dead, or worse. You don't get off easy when you start betraying the thieves guild. I suppose there ought to be an anti-thieves guild-guild. All of us runaways working together to not be a part of an organization..." Which sounded a lot dumber when he said it out loud. "Plus I used some creative language when I was delivering my resignation. And I've tried to kill him twice. Both on contracts, though, nothing personal."
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 9, 2010 22:54:24 GMT -8
"I'll give you whatever it is you want from me. Blood? Energy? Life debt? It's still better than what they could come up with."
Calandra sat back and thought for a moment. What to ask of him? She had no desire for a life debt, blood payments were only useful if you were a sorcerer or a vampire, and she already had plenty of energy. So what would he pay with?
An idea occurred to Calandra.The daemon did not usually take slaves, but this one could definitely come in handy. He seemed rather used to prison, was obviously well-versed in the ways of the thieves, and on the plus side he was also entertaining. This way she would also be able to keep him out of the way of the King and out of jail. As a rule, the King would not be allowed, or would even be able to kill a slave of the daemon lieutenant.
"So you've got nothing to lose, but I need something to gain." the daemon began, "How about you become my slave for one full year. It will be simple, more of a traveling companion than anything." Calandra gave a sinister smile, "Not to mention complete and total diplomatic immunity for as long as you serve me. You will not be attacked by the King or his thugs and you will not be thrown into prison." She laughed cheerily, "I would not allow it."
With that, Calandra ripped her sword out of it's sheath and immediately into the throat of Tattoo-head. He gave a startled gagging noise and slid to the floor as the daemon spun and did the same to two other guards. Calandra grinned, her teeth flashing in wild delight as she stabbed the fourth and final guard, swinging upward through his stomach.
The daemon's fighting style was instinctive, without flourish, and filled entirely with joy and spite. She was clearly dangerous and very skilled, and fighting seemed to be the source of her pride. Calandra turned an eye to the now silent pub, licking a small fleck of blood off of her lip. "Go back to your drinks," she ordered imperiously, "Unless you would like to fight that is."
Nobody moved. Grinning in savage delight, the daemon wiped her blade clean on one of the fallen guards, lifting his key from his belt in the process. While unlocking the cage Calandra spoke again, "Come birdy, unless you would rather stay and wait for his backup."
She let the door swing wide and glanced around for any sign of the King's men. There was nobody so far, but news traveled fast in the City of Thieves.
Calandra found herself wondering if her comment on immunity had given away her status in the daemon world. It really wasn't that hard to figure out, and Auspice seemed like a bright enough sort. Although, looks could be deceiving.
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 9, 2010 23:59:02 GMT -8
Slavery. The other option for a Shifter. Oh sure, everyone was using everyone for slavery these days, but who did it happen to the most? Shifters. The ones who refused the most adamantly, the ones who wouldn't keep their own slaves, they were the ones who seemed to get caught in these webs the most.
Then again... political immunity? Slaves did have a tendency to drop off of the radar. Surely a year of respite from his constant running was worth it? Worth submitting to whatever a Daemon might throw at him. Vile creatures. There were all sorts of rumors about the things they did with their slaves. Then again, most couldn't turn into quick little birds and fly away. Auspice had a genuine escape attempt embedded in his abilities.
He had started to mull it over in his head when the Daemon took out the first guard. On her own. Without any sign of resistance from the guy. Damn, she wasn't the sort of girl you messed around with. Cross her and you're dead, no questions asked. He watched with a sort of horrific respect as she dealt with the other three, not even breaking a sweat.
He nearly forgot how to move, and idly watched as she unlocked the cage. So much for escape attempts. She would cut him to pieces in seconds if he tried. He could have the worm and it's hook, or he could have the harpoon. Frankly, playing at taking the worm seemed much safer at the moment. He saw his way out of the hanging deathtrap and stood rather awkwardly next to the bloody Daemon. Eventually he coughed and gave the obvious answer. "I suppose I haven't got much of a choice, M'lady. I'll accept your terms." What could he call this feeling? Was he stunned? Shocked? Why was he so surprised that a Daemon could cause so much destruction so quickly? Daemons were monsters parading as people, no doubt about it. At least she'd be able to make good on her promise to keep the King of Thieves away.
Really, he reasoned, it could be worse. She wasn't difficult to look at by any means, they seemed to share a few traits, magical affinities even. Maybe a warrior Daemon would request some assassinations from her slave. Assassination without pay... Shit. Hopefully she didn't expect much in the way of loyalty. Auspice was going to betray her as soon as possible. He'd never been the sort to put his life on the line for another, and he wasn't planning on changing that any time soon. He wouldn't be helping her out of any ruts or defending her when she was down, not in this lifetime.
Of course, there was always her True name. Wouldn't it be nice to turn the tables on her? If he was careful Auspice could worm his way past her defenses and not only escape his new sentence, but gain the upper hand at the same time. "At your command?"
|
|
|
Post by Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar on Jul 10, 2010 2:58:00 GMT -8
Darkness and drunkness clouded the air tonight, the atmosphere of Spirit having hardly changed in more than two centuries. Thick smoke and an aura of nasty, reflexive, back-stabbing danger were the order of the day; so different from the brooding, intelligent danger of the Forest. Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar liked it here, although the gloom did not make for inconspicuous travel. His moonstone skin caught the choked, filtered light of the moon, rendering him too bright amid the carefree filth of the city. Of course Daemons looked out of place anywhere in Litharia - too predatory, too beautiful - as it was, after all, not their native land.
He had no particular plans tonight; perhaps a little conversation to ply his need for constantly updated knowledge, or perhaps a more carnal distraction if something pretty caught his eye. He hadn't necessarily been making for The Drunken Bunny despite it being a common haunt of his. However the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle inside were more than enough to pique his curiosity, enough for Gabriel to pause by the door.
Fighting in that bar was a common occurence, but why the hell not? If, as he guessed, it was simply a drunken brawl then he'd entertain himself talking with some of the other patrons. If it was something more then at least he might have the chance to burn off some energy, to test his strength, whatever. He was a Daemon, and a male. Some measure of inherent aggression in his personality made the noises currently emanating from the tavern irresistable.
Then silence. Oh, now he was really intrigued. Gabriel swung the door open, immediately eliciting curious and wary stares from the drinkers within. He was familiar to many of them, sure - bone pale, striking, hypnotic. But their attention was distractable and uneasy tonight and the reason for that stood only a few feet infront of him, splattered in blood like she so often was, as familiar to Gabriel as his own image. He crossed the room in three short, graceful strides; far too quick and sinuous to be human, as if he could ever be taken for one anyway. His eyes flickered once to the dead - well, slaughtered, really - guards on the floor before he smiled wryly at his deputy. "Terrorising the patrons are we, Cal?" The Daemon allowed himself a brief moment for greetings, a swift and obviously familar clasping of the Avian Daemon's hands in his own, although only seconds passed before he spoke again, faint urgency colouring his velvet words.
"No doubt you were thoroughly enjoying yourself, love, but perhaps it's time to leave?" It was not really a question. Calandra was a good fighter, perhaps the best, and Gabriel's magical talents were extremely potent, but even so it did not pay to go up against the King of Thieves and his followers on his own territory. And it was the King that would be called to this, as one quick assessment told Gabriel - the now empty cage, the shifty looking person who no doubt had once resided inside it next to Calandra, and several dead men who could only have been guards. [/font]
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 10, 2010 10:58:01 GMT -8
Calandra had just sheathed her sword when the door opened and someone walked in. She knew who it was before she got a true look at his face. She same build, pale white skin, and small flutter of her stomach told her exactly who it was. Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar, Lord of the Daemons.
Gabriel had told her long ago the reason for the way people felt drawn to him was his breeding. Calandra did not doubt it, but even after three-hundred years the feeling remained, if not quite as potent as it used to be.
The daemon lord made it to her in three long strides and clasped her hands in greeting. A familiar gesture, one almost forgotten. The tavern still lay silent, the only sound being the velvet voice that belonged to Gabriel.
"Terrorizing the patrons are we, Cal?"
Calandra's mouth flickered into a teasing smile as he spoke. "You know the only reason you came was because you wanted a fight." She chuckled, pulling her ands away from Gabriel's so that she could motion around. "Its the only reason we ever come to the City of Thieves. Except this time, I somehow managed to pick up a slave."
Calandra pointed to Auspice, "This one here. Doesn't look like much, but he seems a crafty enough sort. No doubt wishes to turn the tables on me, but he's entertaining and could serve as a good guide." The daemon shrugged. "It mostly gave me something to do, though these guards were more pathetic than I thought.
"No doubt you were thoroughly enjoying yourself, love, but perhaps it's time to leave?"
The deputy nodded. "You are right of course. We may be good, but the King is not a smart man to anger." She made her way to the door and held it open, looking back to her slave and her leader. "Let us hurry, they will be here shortly, of that I'm sure."
Calandra glanced outside and let out a colorful swear. "Hurry, I can see them coming. A lot of them." She looked back and forth to the two men, "Okay, Gabriel, meet Auspice. Auspice, find yourself a weapon."
|
|
|
Post by Jack of Spades on Jul 10, 2010 20:43:51 GMT -8
Another Daemon entered the bar, which was rather notable in a place typically frequented by Shifters and Humans. Auspice wasn't surprised when he recognized Cal and started mocking her. Mocking the monster who'd just slaughtered several guards because she was bored. Lovely. He wasn't sure what the big deal about this Daemon was, but everyone else in the room seemed to be drooling over him. Rather disgusting, really. Sure, he was as well-built as any other Daemon, but nothing particularly remarkable past that. Actually, Auspice was pretty sure he didn't like the new Daemon.
"Oh. I already have one." He flipped a nasty looking knife out of his pocket, realized that it wasn't going to help much in a straightforward sword fight, and retreated to inspect the corpses. He wasn't good with swords, and he certainly didn't know how to tell what a good one was in comparison with a bad one, so he weighed them and went for the lightest one, hoping everything worked out okay.
"Are you sure we want to fight? It's going to cause more trouble, and I don't want to die as soon as this contract is up. I wouldn't consider death at the hands of the Thieves guild a good celebration after all of this." No, much better to run. Sneak down an alley, climb up onto the roof, anything to avoid a fight.
He didn't like killing in the open. Not one bit. Killing in the open involved a lot of witnesses, for one. You never had the time to do anything particularly interesting with the remains, either. How were you supposed to leave a guy's liver in his mouth if a few dozen people were running about screaming and calling the guard?
It wasn't his place to start questioning the other two, but Auspice would be damned if he didn't do it anyways. "I propose a better solution. We leave through the back door and run like hell, hoping they don't catch up until we're properly hidden again."
|
|
|
Post by Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar on Jul 11, 2010 19:12:38 GMT -8
Gabriel took a moment to examine Calandra's new...acquisition. He was rather shorter than the Daemon although this was not uncommon; Gabriel was tall and lean, reaching over six foot in height. Thin. Deft. He was a Shifter almost certainly; there was a sharpness in his eyes that indicated a greater intelligence than the majority of humans that Gabriel had experience with. Also, he seemed to have an instinct for survival - another quality that was baffling in it's lack in the Human population. He wondered if Auspice planned on shifting and taking off the moment Gabriel and Calandra had their hands full, and decided the likelihood was high. Perhaps the Shifter retained some loyalty to Calandra after she released him. Perhaps he might be more likely to survive in the company of two unashamedly vicious Daemons. Either way, he didn't have time to worry about it.
He did, however, pause to ponder the deal. Twenty or so guards out front and probably more on the way, but a route that Gabriel knew well to freedom. Hopefully no guards if they took Auspice's suggestion, but an uncertain route and one that perhaps only the Shifter could take, depending on his form. Best the devil you knew that the devil you didn't; wasn't that the saying? Besides, Calandra was already showing the familiar signs of snarling, Daemon bloodlust. He wasn't sure he could rein her back right now.
"Ten seconds ago we might have had that option, but I think we may be committed. Cal and I can deal quite easily with the guards out there, and if we're lucky we'll be able to disappear before reinforcements arrive. I hope you don't mind getting your hands dirty, Shifter. This will be messy." Gabriel glanced once more out the door. Yep, no holding back now. The King of Thieves wouldn't retaliate against the Daemon Lord outside his own territory so as long as they managed to get out of the City survival was a possibility.
Gabriel stepped outside, deciding that at least if he intended to stop the guards he could do so without redecorating The Drunken Bunny in a particularly violent manner. The hesitation that ran through the formation was obvious. Daemons tended to have that reaction - striking, even when outnumbered, and inexplicably dangerous looking. Especially with the rather dramatic, slow extension of claws and fangs that Gabriel put on now. Those things were sharp.
The Daemon sank into a crouch, one hand on the ground, bright teal eyes trained on the foremost guard. This was going to be messy.[/font]
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 12, 2010 14:25:22 GMT -8
Clandra looked in puzzlement at Auspice's knife, and vaguely wondered why they hadn't confiscated it. Whatever, no time for thinking now. The daemon followed after Gabriel, watching as his claws and teeth grew longer.
It was a good idea. While Calandra usually wore guantlets to hide her claws, they would come into handy in an untidy brawl like this. Best to follow Gabriel's example. She removed the gloves and deftly tied them to the sash at her waist, letting her claws and fangs grow to full length.
Her eyes glinted with excitement when she drew her sword and prepared for the onslaught. Fighting was a true joy. Fighting with an old friend against underlings of a ruler she hated was even better. The men drew closer. Calandra waited until they were only steps away before lauching herself into the fray, grinning viciously at the startled yells of those she met with her blade.
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 12, 2010 16:23:20 GMT -8
Auspice didn't have any claws to extend. He didn't actually have any particularly scary combat magic to speak of, and he decided he ought to let the professionals do their job. He hung back and used his second-hand sword to finish off the dead and dying as the fell under the Daemons. Something about this job seemed to go entirely with his current place in society. Righteous battle wasn't slave work, cleanup was.
Auspice was careful to watch his back, and kept pace with the Daemons as best he could. He didn't enjoy escaping on human feet one bit, and did so as little as possible. He didn't think the Daemons would appreciate seeing him flutter away as a pigeon, though, so he held his shape.
The sword was proving to be an awkward size and weight, too big compared the the knives he was used to wielding. He didn't want to give it up quite yet, though, because dropping a sword in the middle of a fight like this was guaranteed death. You just couldn't beat someone carrying a sword with a knife without surprising the poor guy first.
"I had a perfectly good solution to this, and what do you do? You run out the door and go after the damn waves of Thieves Guild men. They have families, you know. And you're just killing them. No motivation whatsoever, totally avoidable, and you're just killing them." He danced around the sword of a totally innocent thieves guild member who'd tried lopping off his head. "Slaughter without political maneuvering or grudges or anything. Just blatant murder..."
|
|
|
Post by Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar on Jul 12, 2010 18:34:46 GMT -8
Funny, how Calandra's fighting style paired so well with his own. Alone they were each vicious and dangerous, but together they so neatly complemented each other that they were terrifying. Complete opposites, and yet their techniques worked well in harmony. Calandra was openly merciless; she fought with a sword and grinned cruelly the whole time, slaying her opponents with unadulterated glee. Gabriel was quieter, more understated. He smiled invitingly at the soldiers, entranced them with the beauty of a Daemon and the bright, hypnotic teal eyes that appraised them coldly. Sometimes he spoke to them, his voice always gentle velvet, coated with a misleading honey. That way he drew close enough to them to dispatch them neatly with his claws or fangs, carefully aiming for fatal spots that weren't too messy while they waited helpfully, too dumbfounded to properly weild their swords. Only when he was faced with more than a single opponent did he lash out reflexively, too fast for the human eye to follow, his claws and strength quite up to the job of disembowelling or near beheading his opponents.
But even with his careful dissection of many of the soldiers it was a messy job. Blood everywhere. Calandra was doing a good job of hitting vital areas that sprayed the stuff several feet in the air and before long Gabriel was nicely splattered. It ran in rivulets down his hands and arms, dripped down his bare chest gorily. The silver of his skin rendered it startling scarlet.
Which made his words rather at odds with his current appearance. "I do not wish to gratuitously murder these men, but I am not given to trust Shapeshifters, particularly one I've hardly even met. Your solution might have worked, but it might have also led us to a dead end alley which only a Shifter could escape from. So given my choices I chose the one I was more comfortable with." Slaughtering a bunch of guards, it seemed, could even be described as comfortable. It worked though. The street fell suddenly and eerily silent as Gabriel withdraw his claws from a soft spot in the final soldier, flicking the blood off delicately.
"And don't try to tell me you're worried about their families. Those who frequent the City of Thieves have few sentiments like that, else they wouldn't survive long." Gabriel didn't withdraw his claws just yet though he preferred to look slightly less threatening than he did now, under normal circumstances. Couldn't talk to people when they ran screaming in the other direction. Right now talking wasn't on the agenda, however.
"The next lot won't be long. Time to return to the trees, perhaps?" Auspice had proven surprisingly useful, helpfully finishing off any guards that might have been able to provide a detailed description. Nevertheless it was time to go; such a shame. He'd have liked a drink. [/font]
|
|
Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
|
Post by Calandra on Jul 12, 2010 20:26:50 GMT -8
The battle ended rather quickly forcing Calandra to reign in her bloodlust. It would not do to kill Auspice or attack her leader. The daemon took a deep breath and cleared her mind, letting the rage and excitement wash away.
Calandra still felt on edge, but at least she wouldn't lose control. Gabriel spoke, further adding to the effect with his calm, honeyed voice.
"I do not wish to gratuitously murder these men, but I am not given to trust Shapeshifters, particularly one I've hardly even met. Your solution might have worked, but it might have also led us to a dead end alley which only a Shifter could escape from. So given my choices I chose the one I was more comfortable with."
The daemon said nothing of the fact that she could have escaped alongside Auspice. Calandra wouldn't have left her leader alone in the City of Thieves unless he explicitly ordered her to. But the fact that fighting was actually the safer option was ironic.
While she liked Auspice, she couldn't trust him. He was too used to the way of thieves, as prone to stabbing you in the back as saving your life. But that was why Calandra had saved him. Auspice would keep her on her toes. If he had an excuse to escape, he would. If he had a chance to kill her? He'd probably take it. Maybe Calandra was wrong, but from what had been demonstrated so far, she was quite certain.
"The next lot won't be long. Time to return to the trees, perhaps?"
Calandra nodded, trading her sword for a evil-looking serrated knife the size of her forearm. It would be both easier to escape with and better for on-the-run combat. "We better go now, killing this many guards is sure to draw attention, even here."
She glanced back at Auspice just long enough for a dark smile before looking to the exit. "You better be fast, or you'll be left behind." With that, Calandra took off at a dead sprint, certain her companions would follow suit.
|
|
Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
|
Post by Auspice on Jul 13, 2010 16:09:30 GMT -8
The Shifter stopped dead in his tracks. In his own mind, the world itself had stopped dead in it's tracks. What had Gabriel just suggested? "Bastard." He was really risking his hide here, slaves weren't supposed to speak out of turn, something Auspice knew rather well from seeing beatings on the street just short of regularly. He didn't care. He shoved his way into Gabriel's path, sword halfway off the ground. No, there wouldn't be any running off after Cal right now. No escaping to the trees. Auspice had something to say, and he was going to say it. "Daemon bastard. Say what you will about murdering theives, but never, never, never..." He faltered for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts into something coherent. "just, never... Don't you say anything about who they can or can't fall in love with. Don't you dare say they can't have families, or children, or act like normal, happy people when they're off duty. Bigot." Then, and this really surprised Auspice because he'd not planned it at all, he spit at Gabriel. Spit on him, more exactly.
Auspice wasn't one for eye contact. He didn't like reading emotions on others, and the eyes made them all look too alive, too empathetic. Now, however, he maintained an even glare right into the man's eyes. It was hindered a little by the fact that he had to look up to do so, but Auspice wasn't going let that bring him down. He kept on staring as he dropped the bloody sword, kept on waiting for some sort of divine bolt of lightning to strike down the Daemon bastard.
When it didn't come, he turned on his heel and began jogging off after Cal. He hardly regretted saying the things he'd said. He was sure he'd pay for it later, when Cal found out about it, but for some reason he was feeling a little hazy and the actual extent of what he'd done wasn't registering. They were right. Auspice was batshit insane.
|
|